Explosive fluid dispersion



Dec, 29, 1942. J. w. ALLEN EXPLOSIVE FLUID DISPERSION Original Filed March 19, 1938 Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKE nxrcosrvr: FLUID DISPERSION Joseph W. Allen, East Orange, N. 3., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware 1 Claim.

This invention relates to explosive fluid dispersion, and particularly to the dispersion of explosive fumes and gaseous mixtures, to preclude possible damage due to the accumulation of such explosive materials in dangerous locations, such as the space surrounding electrical apparatus on aircraft.

Heretofore electric motors and the like have been enclosed in supposedly air-tight compartments as a means of preventing contact of an electric spark with explosive gaseous mixtures. ihe present invention makes it unnecessary to resort to this practice, and permits the substitution of a less expensive and more readily fabricateci enclosure, from which explosive gases are excluded, not by the use of. gas-tight sealing means, but by the creation of a pressure differential along the surfaces of the electrical or other unit to be enclosed, which pressure differential eiiectively prevents entry of any appreciable amount of hazard creating gas or gaseous mixture. My concept is to maintain a continuous flow of clean air along the unit's surfaces, the air being guided thereto by means of a conduit or conduits leading directly thereto, and adapted to receive the clean air from a point of substantially higher pressure than that of the air surrounding the enclosed unit. As shown, in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing, by way of illustration of the preferred mode of practicing the invention, the air supply conduit or conduits have their origin at or adjacent the leading edge of the aircraft Wing or corresponding aerofoil surface, at a point or points within the region of relatively high pressure resulting from the effect of the rotation of the propeller substantially directly in advance of the mouth of the conduit.

In Fig. l the invention is shown applied to the dispersion of explosive gases from the region surrounding a landing gear actuating motor; and in Fig. 2 there is a showing, on a larger scale, of such motor in an enclosure suitable for the purposes indicated. It is to be understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claim for this purpose.

Referring again to Fig. l, a portion of the landing gear retracting and extending linkage 5 is shown in the position which it occupies with respect to the wing pocket 6 on the under side of the wing i of an airplane whose fuselage is indicated at 8, and one of whose engines is indicated at 9, the enclosure for the landing gear actuating motor being shown at ill. As shown best in Fig. 2, enclosure III has two or more openings II for cable or conductor receiving purposes, and these may be utilized as outlets for the air which enters the enclosure ill by way of the supply conduit i2, whose mouth I3 is shown in Fig. 1 as directly in the slipstream of propeller I 4 of engine 9, and at or adjacent the leading edge of wing I. By this means clean air is caused to flow, under the pressure 'difierential which exists from point It to points H, and this clean air effectively removes-from the surfaces of inner housing 16 any explosive gases that may have collected prior to creation of the clean air flow which begins upon first rotation of propeller N. All such explosive gases and fumes 'are dispersed by the clean air stream as it travels through the outer housing to on its way to outlets ll.

If desired, conduit l2 may be provided with adrain (not shown) to allow release of any moisture or foreign material collecting therein. This application is a division of my co-pending application No. 196,987, filed March 19, 1938.

What is claimed is: A hazard-reducing device for an electric machine comprising a pair of concentric housings of slightly different diameters, with an undivided annular air space between said housings. the in- JOSEPH W. ALLEN. 

